The Nobles arrived at Rakshar Village, said to be plagued by the Wolfpack of the Crimson Moon. As they approached, they were met with a desolate landscape. The once-thriving village was now in ruins, with broken houses and shattered windows. The streets were littered with debris, and the air was thick with the smell of smoke and ash.
They were villagers that seemed to be gathered outside the village head's house and were engaged in a heated discussion. Their faces were etched with worry and fear, and their voices were laced with desperation.
One of them, a burly man, was speaking to the village head. "What are we going to do? The wolves are going to attack again today! If this continues, we're all going to die!"
The village head, a wise-looking elderly man, tried to calm him down. "Please understand, everyone. I have already put up a quest with the guild. Someone will come and help us out."
But the man was skeptical. "It's already been three months since you put up that quest, and no adventurer has accepted. I think no one will ever accept it. These are the Wolfpack of the Crimson Moon, led by an Alpha Wolf, no less."
Another villager chimed in, "Who in their right mind would take a dangerous quest like that? And for free, no less?"
Just then, Kai smiled and called out, "I will."
Shinji's eyes widened in surprise, and he whipped his head around to stare at Kai. "Did you say for free? Did you pick an A+ quest that was free?" he asked, incredulous.
Kai smiled, unfazed. "It sounded interesting."
Shinji turned to Lila, his expression exasperated. "Remind me why we picked him to be our leader. If we don't die this time, we're going to die one of these days."
The villager who had been speaking to the village head turned to them, his eyes narrowing. "Hey, you three. Just who are you, anyway?"
Lila replied slowly, "We are adventurers from the guild who have come to help you get ride of the wolfpack of the Crimson Moon."
The group of villagers outside the village head's house started cheering, but their enthusiasm was short-lived. The villager asked, "And where's the rest of your team?"
Shinji's eyes darted nervously around the group before he replied, "This is our entire team."
The cheering stopped abruptly, and the villagers exchanged skeptical glances.
One of them asked, "You guys are planning on fighting the wolves with just the three of you?"
The villagers started gossiping among themselves, their voices filled with doubt and worry. "Well, I guess we'd better start packing up, guys."
The village head called out, "Wait! Silence, everyone!"
He looked at Kai, his eyes narrowing."You with the white hair...you look familiar.Who are you?"
Kai replied, "l am Kai, leader of the Nobles."
The village head's eyes widened in surprise. " I knew it! You're the SSS-rank adventurer, aren't you?"
The villagers started gossiping again, their voices filled with excitement and hope. "I knew it was him! We might actually get rid of these wolves tonight!"
A group of girls whispered among themselves, "He's kind of handsome, don't you think? Do you think he's single, or is he taken by that girl with him.
The village head raised his hand, and the villagers slowly quieted down."Okay, everyone, I think we can trust these adventurer. Please, may you all leave and go outside of the village for today. I don't think tonight is going to be a pretty night."
The villagers slowly dispersed, their faces filled with a mix of hope and worry
The village head turned to the Nobles and smiled. "Okay, Nobles. Kai, I take it the lady is Lila, and the other guy behind you is Shinji, welcome you to Rakshar Village. I am the village head, Piet."
As Piet introduced himself, the villagers continued to disperse, their movements slow and reluctant. They cast nervous glances at the Nobles, their faces filled with a mix of hope and doubt.
Piet watched as the villagers slowly departed, his eyes filled with a deep sadness.
As the last of the villagers departed, Piet turned to the Nobles, his eyes filled with a deep gratitude. "Thank you for coming, Nobles. I know it's a lot to ask, but I beg of you, please help us. We can't take this anymore."
Kai nodded, his expression determined. "Don't worry, Piet. We'll do everything we can to help you."
Piet smiled, his eyes filled with tears. "Thank you, Kai. Thank you, Nobles. Please, follow me inside, and I'll explain all the details you might want to know about the wolves."
Kai turned to Piet and said, "Don't worry about explaining anything, Village Head. Just tell us where the wolves' den is located."
Piet's face contorted with worry, and he hesitated for a moment before responding. "Are you sure you're prepared for this? The Wolfpack of the Crimson Moon is no ordinary foe. They're fierce, cunning, and have already proven to be a formidable threat to our village."
Shinji grinned, trying to sound confident, but his voice betrayed a hint of worry and skepticism. "We'll be fine."
Piet's expression turned even more concerned, and he took a step closer to the Nobles. "I hope you're not underestimating the danger that lies ahead. Those wolves have already killed several of our villagers, and I fear for your safety."
Kai nodded reassuringly. "Don't worry, Village Head. We'll take care of ourselves."
Piet nodded, though his expression remained uncertain. "Very well. Here, take this map. It will show you the location of the wolves' den and the surrounding area."
Piet handed Kai a worn leather map, yellowed with age. Kai took it, studying the markings and symbols etched into the parchment.
Piet continued, "Be careful, Nobles. The night can be treacherous, and those wolves are not to be underestimated."
With that, Kai looked at the village head. "You also have to leave village head, l can't guarantee your safely if you stay."
As Piet hurried off, Kai turned to Lila and Shinji, his expression serious. "Alright, let's get down to business. We have a long night ahead of us."
Shinji asked, "So, Kai, sending us on one of the world's most dangerous missions counts as training, right?" Kai smiled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "There's no better training than real-life combat. And after we're done here, no ordinary adventurer will be able to beat you."
Lila nodded, her expression serious. "Enough talking. The wolves might appear anytime now. Here's the plan."Kai said
"Lila, you'll stay back and provide support with your magic. Boost Shinji's abilities and recover us in case of major injuries. But if a monster gets too close, use your teleportation skill to get out of harm's way."
Lila nodded, hir eyes locked on Kai. "Got it."
Kai turned to Shinji. "I'll take the lead, and you'll be my support."
Shinji nodded again, his expression set.
Kai's eyes narrowed, his gaze distant. "If I remember correctly, the wolves will attack in waves. First, we'll face around 80 to 100 young wolves, followed by the elder wolves – around 10 of them. And finally, the alpha wolf will appear with its three wives."
Lila's eyes widened. "Kai, how do you know all this?" Shinji's expression turned skeptical. "Yeah, I thought you had memory loss. Has your memory suddenly come back?"
Kai's eyes flickered, and he hesitated for a moment before responding. "No, my memory of myself is still gone. But everything else... it's all still there."
The Nobles exchanged uneasy glances, but Kai continued, his voice steady. "Shinji, you'll take care of two of the alpha wolf's wives. Lila, you'll handle the third. And I'll take on the alpha wolf alone."
As they finished their plan, the Nobles began to equip and get ready. But just then, Kai's eyes snapped towards the surrounding area, his expression tense.
"Shinji, Lila, step back now," Kai shouted, standing in front of them.
Lila's eyes widened. "Kai, what's wrong?" Shinji's face turned pale. "What is it?"
Kai's voice was low and urgent. "I think something's wrong. We're surrounded, and it's not just the young wolves. It's the elder wolves, and there are more than 50 of them."
Shinji's eyes scanned the surrounding area, her expression worried. "But that's impossible. There's never been more than 10 elder wolves seen together."
Kai's gaze turned distant, his eyes narrowing. "This world is changing.", he thought to himself.
Just then, the alpha wolf appeared with its three wives, their eyes glowing in the fading light. Kai's expression turned grim, but a hint of a smile played on his lips.
"At least the alpha wolf still has three wives," Kai whispered to Shinji.
But before they could react, a figure emerged from the shadows. He was a towering man with spiky hair and a long, braided beard that reached down to his waist. A scar ran from under his right eye down to the end of his face, giving him a menacing appearance.
The man's aura was terrifying, a deep, burning red that seemed to sear the air around him. He sat atop the alpha wolf, his presence commanding.
The Nobles exchanged shocked glances. Shinji whispered, "Who is this guy? He seems to have tamed the alpha wolf."
The man's voice was deep and rumbling. "So, was that the plan? Send the young wolves first? Sorry to disappoint, but the wolves of the Crimson Moon are now under me."
Kai's eyes narrowed, his expression tense. The man's aura was unlike anything he had ever seen before.
Shinji and Lila were stunned, their eyes fixed on the man in awe.
The man's gaze turned to Kai, his eyes glinting with interest. "You know, today I wasn't planning on coming here, but I couldn't resist approaching the dark aura that you seem to be emitting, l could sense it from a mile away."
Kai's eyes widened, his mind racing. How did this man sense his aura? He thought he had suppressed it.
The man's smile grew wider. "I'm going to enjoy taming you next."
Kai released his dark aura, creating a massive wind that pushed everything away from him. The man's eyes lit up with excitement as he stood up, his own red aura clashing with Kai's.
The air seemed to ripple with energy as the two auras clashed, creating a massive shockwave that sent the Nobles stumbling back. The man's aura was a deep, burning red, while Kai's was a dark, foreboding presence.
Kai slowly gazed to Lila and Shinji, "A m sorry guys but l don't think we are all going to make it out of this one alive".
Kai the locked his eyes back to the man, releasing an even intense aura, trying to match the man's aura.
The air seemed to shatter as Kai's dark aura collided with the man's burning red presence. The ground trembled, and the sky grew dark, as if the very fabric of reality was being torn apart.
The man's red aura erupted into a frenzy of flames, while Kai's dark presence coalesced into a vortex of shadowy tendrils. The two auras clashed, unleashing a maelstrom of energy that sent the Lila and Shinji flying.
The sound of the collision was like thunder, shaking the earth and shattering the silence. The man's laughter echoed through the chaos, his voice like a crack of lightning. "You're strong, kid! But not strong enough!"
Kai's eyes blazed with determination, his dark aura surging forward like a tidal wave. The man's red aura met it head-on, and the two energies exploded in a blast of light and sound that seemed to shake the very foundations of the world.